Portugal on Alert as Wildfire Risk Rises Amid Severe Heatwave

Mainland Portugal will enter a state of alert from midnight on Sunday due to the worsening risk of wildfires as a result of "considerably severe hot weather," with maximum temperatures expected to range from 36 to 44 degrees Celsius.

The announcement was made on Saturday by Minister of Internal Administration Maria Lúcia Amaral. It will be in force until 11:59 p.m. on 7 August.

"This decision stems from the maintenance of very high temperatures, low humidity levels, and the need to adopt preventive and special measures to respond to the risk of fire in a large part of mainland Portugal," explained the minister.

During this period, she added, the following exceptional measures will be implemented:

• Prohibition of access, movement, and permanence within forest spaces, in accordance with municipal forest fire defence plans;

• Prohibition of burning, as well as the suspension of authorisations that have been issued;

• Prohibition of carrying out work in forest and other rural spaces using machinery;

• Prohibition of the use of fireworks or other pyrotechnic artefacts, as well as the suspension of authorisations that have been issued.

Amaral said there are some very specific exceptions to these restrictions, which can be found on the Portuguese government portal.

Episode of severe hot weather in Portugal

A mass of hot air from North Africa will be over the Iberian Peninsula from Sunday. This means that Portugal and Spain will experience even higher temperatures that could reach 45 degrees Celsius.

Until next Wednesday, a severe episode of hot weather is expected in Portugal. Maximum temperatures of between 36°C and 40°C are expected in most of the country, and between 41°C and 44°C in the interior of the Alentejo, the Tagus Valley, and the Douro Valley.

On Monday, the maximum temperature is expected to drop in the Algarve, which may also occur along the rest of the coast and extend into Tuesday, the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) warned.

However, Porto, Braga, Bragança, Viana do Castelo, and Vila Real will be on red alert on Monday.

The IPMA indicates that "tropical nights are expected in most of the territory," with minimum temperatures varying between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius from Monday onwards.

As a result of the heatwave, all the districts of mainland Portugal, with the exception of Faro, are under an orange warning.

The orange warning  the second most serious on a scale of three  is issued by the IPMA when there is a meteorological situation of moderate to high risk.

The yellow warning, which is less serious, is issued when there is a risk situation for certain activities depending on the weather.